The past few years of technological advances have led us on a collision course – a merging of couture and computing. The industry has reached a point where machines can leverage enormous amounts of online user data from eCommerce, social media, and smartphones to understand and foresee real-life trends, and in return, refresh their products and customise their shopper’s experience.

Yet, only AI assistants have gone mainstream this far in the industry. While chatbots are great, there are many other customer-centric applications of AI in fashion that remain untapped. Here’s how apparel brands can go full-on artificial – and it’s way bigger than Manus x Machina at the Met.

Artificial craftsmanship

Sure, machines can analyse search trends. But can they craft your clothes? The answer is yes: Amazon’s recently developed algorithm can reportedly “design” clothing by examining images and copying the style — giving the e-commerce giant the ability to design its pieces based off of current trends functionally.

Amazon has developed a new AI system that will allow it to predict and potentially help shape the latest trends in fashion.

And while Amazon is far from an atelier, with this technology already in the works, it’s easy to imagine if those creators could pinpoint a trend, quickly design outfits inspired by it, and then produce and/or ship them on-demand automatically. For this reason, retailers need to think about how they can better predict and react to seasonal trends using AI today — before Amazon completely corners the market.

“Retailers need to think about how they can better predict and react to seasonal trends using AI.”

Similarly, this predictive technology can also provide physical retailers and franchisees with an AI-informed edge when it comes to merchandising, and stock for the latest trends — as well as making relevant product recommendations in-store.

The Fitting Camera

While chatbots have quickly gotten popular in the fashion space, helping brands at a variety of price points communicate with shoppers and recommend products based on their expressed needs, they are missing one crucial thing: Leveraging online user data for “store-like” experiences on mobile.

GAP’s app was created with 3-D software firm Avametric, is the first augmented shopping app powered by Google’s Tango software platform.

“It’s not a stretch to say that in the near future additional data from social media, chatbot conversations, image searches, and more should be incorporated to build a complete user profile.”

And this is just the beginning. It is not a stretch to say that, in the near future, additional data from social media, chatbot conversations, image searches, and more should be incorporated to build a complete user profile — and use Augmented Reality to give shoppers pitch-perfect recommendations that suit their style and past purchases every time.

Brick-and-algorithms

Of course, apps and bots aren’t just about virtual try-ons: Plenty of customers value the in-store experience, and they want to look at apparel in person — especially for brands at higher price points.

Department stores in this category have probably been dealt blows by the digital revolution. Back in 2016 Macy’s explored ways to use its higher foot traffic flagships to its advantage, launching an in-store, AI-powered helper called Macy’s On Call, powered by IBM Watson. Customers in the store can chat with the digital assistant and using natural language processing, Macy’s can understand diverse requests and point shoppers toward the clothing items they want to see in the store.

In 2016 Macy’s Teamed up With IBM Watson For AI-Powered Mobile Shopping Assistant

Levi’s new Virtual Stylist chatbot does something similar: It texts with customers — even while they’re shopping — to offer product recommendations based on their preferences. But it can’t be just bots that evolve: Stores themselves have to as well. After all, there’s a reason that click-to-brick pioneers like Warby Parker and the Blue Nile who have seen so much success with their digital-first showrooms.

Alibaba’s Fashion AI is doing just this in the Chinese market. Fundamentally, smart screens in fitting rooms can recognise items — a cashmere sweater, for example — through a sensor embedded in the tag and function as a personal shopping assistant right there in the dressing room. But this is about more than matching outfits: This kind of personalised service is only available in physical stores while customers are trying on clothes — and with Alibaba reportedly installing it free of charge at 13 stores in China, it could give shoppers an incentive to visit brick-and-mortar locations when they might not otherwise.

“Retailers should look to invest in tech that recognizes the difference in shoppers’ bodies and make recommendations that suit them.”

Rebecca Minkoff’s ‘store of the future’ concept is another example of innovation in this category. The label has embraced IoT tech like smart mirrors that can help shoppers put looks together, but the future of this tech has to be able to do more than match a top to a skirt.

An essential element of this is pattern/body recognition: Retailers should look to invest in tech that recognises the difference in shoppers’ bodies and make recommendations that suit them. The whole point of AI is that there is no “one size fits all” — and in that respect, it’s precisely like couture.

Omnichannel performance

Finally, it’s easy to think of AI as a standard product recommendation engine. But it’s also serving to connect the dots between online and offline in retail — from footfall and online traffic to transactions.

Snapchat, Facebook or Instagram: Who Is Destined To Winning the Social Media Shopping Race? Credit: Shutterstock

Fashion brands can now use social apps like Facebook, Instagram, or even Snapchat and WhatsApp, to target users contextually and situationally, as well as to attribute in-platform marketing to actual sales, whether it’s in-store or online. Similarly, AI-powered CRM systems can now understand the entire purchasing journey, regardless of digital and retail touchpoints, helping brands push their message where and when it’s most relevant.

After all, when it comes to fashion, consumers don’t distinguish between online and offline as long as it fulfils their needs.

Benjamin Lord

Benjamin is a brand futurist, standing at the intersection of marketing, technology and culture. As global executive for WPP agency Kinetic, he also serves as a strategic marketing advisor to major global brands including Calvin Klein, CHANEL, LVMH and more. Benjamin also provides an honest take on the emerging world of AI every month through an open correspondence called H-Artificially.